Why is it Important to Have an SSL Certificate on Your Site?

February 09, 2019

Security has always been a significant factor of concern when browsing the web. For a long time, the Internet was considered a digital wild forest: everyone had to defend themselves, and there were very few options that guaranteed secure access. But with SSL, it’s no longer a concern. SSL ensures that your incoming and outgoing Web traffic is protected against all security threats. As a result, SSL users enjoy a wide range of benefits, which are described in detail in this article.

What is SSL?

Secure Sockets Layer, or SSL, is a security protocol that uses modern encryption to send and receive sensitive information over the Internet. Any information that passes through this chain is encrypted at one end and decrypted when received at the other end. So, even if someone gets this information, it is virtually useless for them because of the encryption of the data.

Websites can enable SSL by acquiring an SSL certificate. Web browsers can detect this certificate, which allows them to know that this particular connection needs to be encrypted. Users can easily recognise if they are visiting an SSL-enabled site by locating a small lock preceding the site’s URL.

The SSL certificate is today the security technology standard for encrypting communications between a web server and a browser. This electronic certificate guarantees that the data exchanged between a server and a browser remain private and cannot be attacked or hacked by hackers. There are several types of SSL certificates with different security levels.

An SSL certificate secured website has a Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) URL and no longer just HTTP. HTTPS combines HTTP with an SSL encryption layer. A secure site is easily identifiable by the small padlock icon in the browser’s address bar. HTTPS is particularly useful on unencrypted networks (such as Wi-Fi), highly susceptible to hacking; any hacker can easily retrieve sensitive data.

This article gives a clear idea of using SSL. After you finish, you’ll be better informed about how SSL could not only secure critical data but also give businesses a competitive advantage.

Advantages of SSL

As mentioned before, the use of SSL can be very beneficial for the end user and the site owner. Below are the reasons that show SSL could be very helpful for any modern website.

1 – With SSL, your site is more professional

Let’s start by answering a question. Can you name a popular website that does not have a lock icon next to its web address? If you do not have answers, that’s normal – there is an excellent reason for that.

Businesses recognise the upward trend in user awareness of digital privacy. So, of course, they want their customers to know they are protected. SSL is a reliable way to approve the security of your platform, adding a touch of professionalism to any site by using it.

This is especially true for e-commerce sites whose business model is based on the use of highly sensitive information, such as credit card details. This makes online transactions completely secure – giving you an excellent reputation for your business.

2 – Encryption of information

The main reason for using SSL is that it provides strong security. SSL ensures that every data packet exchanged between the user’s browser and state-of-the-art encryption techniques protect an SSL-enabled website. This means that if someone enters this data, the relevant information is rendered unreadable by means of said encryption.

3 – Google likes sites using SSL

Some companies spend a lot of resources on SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) without realising that merely using SSL can give their website a ranking boost on Google. For more than two years, Google has integrated SSL as a ranking factor in its famous PageRank algorithm. So, a website with SSL will be ranked higher than the one that does not have it on Google. According to MOZ, half of Google’s results are in HTTPS, and this number will continue to increase.

According to them, Google puts even more emphasis on other factors, such as the quality of content, when ranking sites. But SSL is also a great way to complement your SEO efforts.

Now that we’ve explained why SSL was essential to show that your website is trustworthy, secure and professional, we hope you’ll buy an SSL certificate as soon as possible for your site. The addition of SSL can help improve user satisfaction, SEO and branding.